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Orange County Animal Services
501 W. Franklin St, Suite 106, Chapel Hill, NC 27514 (919) 968-2287
To: Laura Blackmon, County Manager
From: Bob Marotto, Animal Services Director
Date: March 25, 2008
Subject: UNC Remediation Project Near the Animal Shelter
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Changes have already begun around the exterior of the Animal Shelter due to a chemical
remediation project conducted by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (tTNC) in
preparation of its new `Carolina North' campus construction. This project will cause parking
and entrance changes to, the Shelter, but staff is working with UNC officials to ensure that the
remediation process they need to conduct in preparation for the new campus has as little adverse
affect as possible.
The Animal Shelter will continue to operate on a regular schedule during this process and will
work to inform the public to avoid any confusion. It is important that we continue to maintain
our presence in the community during this project and that the public is made aware and kept up-
to-date on changes as they occur. We are preparing a Frequently Asked Questions, a media
advisory, and will be posting more detailed information on our website. We will continue to
update the general public and others with any changing information we receive.
No less important is that all County officials communicate effectively with our customers,
stakeholders, and partners. We want people to know that we will be continuing to operate as
usual-despite the fence, signage and different parking and access to Municipal Drive-and that
we look forward to the community continuing to support and work with us through this
remediation period.
The remediation will occur on a site that sits at the juncture of Municipal Drive and the road that
runs down to the Animal Shelter, where more than 10,000 containers of varied chemicals were
disposed of from UNC Chemistry laboratories in the 1970s. The process is expected to be
completed in August, at which point access to the shelter will return to normal operations until
transitioning to the new Animal Services facility on Eubanks Road at the end of the year.
The first significant change of this remediation process has begun with the construction of a
fence around a large area that includes much of the space in the front of the .Animal Shelter
including our present parking lot. In the coming weeks, a large tent will be constructed over the
excavation site.
Remediation and S/welter Memo
March 25`x`, 2008
Page 2
I1NC officials and contractors have been doing ground water remediation for some time and they
have extensively studied the area. Some minor releases and possible reactions resulting from the
removal of chemicals are expected on the remediation site, but they are all expected to be quite
small and transient. Nevertheless, Animal Services staff has developed evacuation plans for
staff, volunteers and visitors, as well as safety plans for sheltering animals on-site, in the event
that any such unexpected measures would be needed.
Our cooperation with UNC during this remediation process includes the development of different
signage for shelter access and parking, and also information for volunteer dog wallcers. We are
also sitting down with LTNC staff and their contractors to discuss the remediation process in
relation to safety. Our. next meeting is scheduled for April 1, and these meetings have included
County staff from the Department of Health, Emergency Management, and Public Worlcs, as
well as LTNC personnel and contractors.
Be assured that we will communicate regularly and effectively with all Animal Services staff and
stakeholders as this process moves forward. We want to be sure that we are doing everything
that needs to be done to minimize disruption of shelter business and activities, and that
information is shared so that everyone knows exactly what is to occur ahead of time so that any
questions may be answered.
Cc: Gwen Harvey, Assistant County Manager
Jess Allison, Animal Shelter Manager